Cooler Heads May Prevail in Climate Debate

If you are a religious zealot when it comes to global warming and a devoted follower of the movement’s high priest, Al Gore, please skip this article. We already know we nonbelievers are going to burn here on earth before we eventually burn in hell. Don’t bother posting some rant. We’ve heard it all before. Thanks.

If, however, you are rational and open to the results of scientific research, please proceed.

A new level of activism among climate realists emerged during the second week in March in New York City when The Heartland Institute hosted its second annual International Conference on Climate Change. It is rare that a conference transcends its format, its brilliant assembly of experts and participants, and becomes something greater than the whole. This was one of those events, where a new society of U.S.- based scientists was born: professors, economists, government experts, journalists and elected officials, who are committed to pursuing the truth in climate science. Launched out of an existing scientific organization in Canada (The International Climate Science Center based in Ottawa), this new entity will allow this prestigious group of scientists — as they have chosen to rebrand themselves — to coalesce their energies and become a coordinated chorus, one which the global warming alarmists of the world have tried to silence on an individual basis.

The Heartland Institute’s Journalist’s Guide to Global Warming Experts can assist any objective media person who seeks relevant scholarly opinions which contradict those held by the alarmists.

Be aware: The guest speakers and contributing panelists from 14 nations, and many of the attendees who came from 24 nations, did not have an easy journey on the way to this conference. For taking a stand against global warming alarmism, they have been slandered in the halls of academia, denied grants or tenure, ridiculed in journals which purport to be peer reviewed, and are often compared to holocaust deniers. But they ended this event up on their feet, cheering and unbowed, and ready to seek truth. They are determined to help end unnecessary climate-based fear being generated around the world. They want to put a stop to media manipulation of the world’s populace, exemplified by an Australian TV program which encouraged children to figure out when their carbon footprint has been used up, and, therefore, they ought to die.

The conference program began with a rousing dinner address by the world’s highest ranking political climate change skeptic, Czech Republic President Vaclav Klaus (currently also serving as President of the European Union). The “faculty” was comprised of Ph.D.s and area-specific experts from 14 nations. Lord Christopher Monckton, once the chief science advisor to Baroness Margaret Thatcher, and now Chief Policy Advisor for the UK Science and Public Policy Institute, brought the conference to end with a bravura speech.

One of the final panels included legendary “weatherman” John Coleman, whom many recall from the early days of ABC’s “Good Morning America.” It is no secret that Coleman — who went on to become the founder of The Weather Channel — is not a believer in the theory of man-made global warming. He regrets that The Weather Channel has succumbed to pressure to report climate falsehoods to the public. His presentation included the virtually unknown (might one say suppressed?) story of Al Gore’s university professor whom Gore credits with triggering his interest in the planet. Dr. Roger Revelle came to recant the very research Gore (who received a C and a D in his only two college-level science courses) now uses as the basis for selling his carbon credit and cap and trade investment “opportunities.” KUSI, the San Diego TV station on which Coleman appears these days, allowed him to report the full story. A video of the report was a part of his presentation. (watch the YouTube clip).

Also attending the Heartland event were two Irish film makers. During the previous week, Ann McElhinney and Phelim McAteer had the vast audience of approximately 8500 attendees at CPAC — the Conservative Action Political Conference, in Washington D.C. — standing and cheering. Their documentary, “Not Evil — Just Wrong: The True Cost of Global Warming Hysteria,” is brilliant. Among other things, it tells the story of why 40 million people, a large percentage of them African children, have died (some might even call it genocide) since the use of DDT was banned. The film details how the decision to ban DDT was based on the pseudo science — offered up as fact — in Rachel Carson’s book, Silent Spring. Gore often cites Carson as his heroine. The film makes the obvious connections between them and the outcomes of their respective movements.

The problem is that “Not Evil- Just Wrong” is unlikely to air on any television network save Fox, although CSPAN would be smart to offer some air time. The plan is to go into shopping malls in an effort to reach the masses whose brains are being saturated with lies and misinformation designed to keep them frightened and malleable to politicians and self-interested elites. For more information, go to www.noteviljustwrong.com.

The good news is that the climate realists are gaining ground. 41% of respondents in a recent Gallop Poll said they thought global warming was “over hyped.” 32,000 individuals, 10,000 of those with Ph.D.s in science, have now signed a new petition which calls into question tax payer funded mandated government policies — and an array of guilt-based investment schemes — which are based on flawed and distorted data being cited by global warming alarmists. This petition drive was led by Dr. Art Robinson of the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine, who contributes to HUMAN EVENTS.

What is The Heartland Institute? For the past 25 years, Heartland has sought out free market solutions to challenges in all facets of our complex society. It gathers facts and data from the best sources available, functioning as a clearing house. It then provides detailed reports — on a nonpartisan basis — primarily to the 8,300 elected state and national officials in the U.S. Heartland claims that 8 out of every 10 elected officials now read Heartland’s reports and use them when making policy decisions. This mandate has clearly never been more important. Talk about earth (and freedom and the future of world economics) being in the balance.

The entire Climate Change Conference — every speaker, panel and power point presentation — is now available online — gratis — at www.heartland.org.